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Author Topic: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps  (Read 6408 times)

Offline docb

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A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« on: January 04, 2010, 08:28:09 PM »
We were fine tuning the Repros that we will have at CES, and I suggested that we use an old trick I learned from Buddha many years ago. Take a Q-tip and cut it in half. Chuck one half up in a Dremel (small mandrel) and use a little metal polish to polish the pins of your Repro or Eros tubes. You may not see a huge difference in the appearance of the pins, but you will probably see a fair amount of black tarnish on the Q tip. Then treat the tube pins and the sockets with a little Pro Gold. We heard a very worthwhile reduction of the noise floor doing this on two different Repros.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline ironbut

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Re: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2010, 12:04:00 AM »
Wow, nice trick Doc.
That's gonna save me from buying a bunch of those felt, polishing "cones" for all kinds of stuff.
Thanks
steve koto
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Offline jcmusic

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Re: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2010, 09:22:16 AM »
We were fine tuning the Repros that we will have at CES, and I suggested that we use an old trick I learned from Buddha many years ago. Take a Q-tip and cut it in half. Chuck one half up in a Dremel (small mandrel) and use a little metal polish to polish the pins of your Repro or Eros tubes. You may not see a huge difference in the appearance of the pins, but you will probably see a fair amount of black tarnish on the Q tip. Then treat the tube pins and the sockets with a little Pro Gold. We heard a very worthwhile reduction of the noise floor doing this on two different Repros.
Will this little trick work on the Seduction as well?

Jay
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Offline docb

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Re: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2010, 10:27:21 AM »
The Seduction has less gain so it may not be as a striking a difference. But sure, it should help. IIRC the original discussion with Buddha was about doing this to a tube FM tuner, where it could have a very positive effect. Should be a useful for tube mics, phono preamps, and any other tube circuit that deals with very small signals.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline xcortes

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Re: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2010, 12:44:54 PM »
Quote
any other tube circuit that deals with very small signals

Should work on socket mounted step up transformers for MC cartridges too.

Now, if only you had posted this a week ago when I was in the US and could order the Pro Gold ;^)

Thanks
Xavier Cortes

Offline MylesAstor

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Re: A noise reduction tip for tube preamps
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2010, 09:09:37 PM »
We were fine tuning the Repros that we will have at CES, and I suggested that we use an old trick I learned from Buddha many years ago. Take a Q-tip and cut it in half. Chuck one half up in a Dremel (small mandrel) and use a little metal polish to polish the pins of your Repro or Eros tubes. You may not see a huge difference in the appearance of the pins, but you will probably see a fair amount of black tarnish on the Q tip. Then treat the tube pins and the sockets with a little Pro Gold. We heard a very worthwhile reduction of the noise floor doing this on two different Repros.

Doc:

I always clean the tube pins of all tubes-esp. all NOS types that really look bad.

I use a q-tip and dip it in Gorham silver polish (paste not the liquid; paste works far better). The pins are "polished" twice and then cleaned with water. I then clean the pins with Kontak.


Alternatively, one can do what an old friend of David Berning did years ago (he marketed this kit ten or more years ago). Take a pipe cleaner and bend it in an ellipse shape. Then dip it in polish and clean the tube pins. The clean and retreat with Kontak

Myles
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